This application relates to molding machines for making crayons or other elongated moldable articles, and more particularly to an automated machine wherein the fluid, liquid or plastic material of the final product is shaped and solidified in mold cavities and then removed therefrom and delivered to a desired point for further handling.
Machines having a series of multi-cavity mold blocks carried on a stationary or movable support have long been known in the prior art. In addition, a rotatable cavity mold, rotatable around a vertical axis and having means for supplying a melted thermoplastic material to the cavities is likewise well known in the prior art. Means for ejecting solidified products from various mold cavities have long been known.
The improvement of the present invention is directed to a molding machine and method for molding crayons and the like wherein there is provided means for supplying material in fluid, liquid or plastic condition to a series of mold cavities in a horizontally rotatable mold table, adjustable means for controlling the temperatures of the cavities at successive stages of their movement, means for ejecting the solidified molded products from the cavities, means for receiving the ejected products and conveying them to one or more delivery points, and means for removing excess material from the mold table and recycling it, together with suitable adjustable controls for operating the several elements according to a desired program. The machine products are referred to herein as "crayons" with the understanding that the machine can be adapted to the manufacture of other elongated moldable articles.
In view of the foregoing it is an object of the present invention to provide a new molding machine having improved means for supplying fluid material to the mold cavities.
It is another object to provide a new molding machine with particularly effective means for adjustably controlling the temperature of the mold cavities at successive stages in the method.
It is a further object to provide new and improved means for receiving the molded objects in a controllably resilient receiver for transfer to one or more delivery stations.
It is a still further object to provide means for removing excess material from the vicinity of the mold cavities and recycling it for re-use in the apparatus and method.
It is a still further object to provide certain improvements in the form, construction, arrangement and materials of the machine, and in the steps of its method of use, whereby the above-named and other objects may effctively be attained. The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims .